Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Anderson: 'There Wasn't a Lot of Respect for Women When I Started Snowboarding'

All eyes may have been on teen snowboarder Chloe Kim last night, but another American woman took home a gold medal in Olympic snowboarding yesterday too—two-time Olympic slopestyle champ Jamie Anderson. Anderson faced some of that tricky PyeongChang weather that's been tripping up many competitors, but she still came out on top with a score of 83.0, becoming the first female snowboarder to win multiple gold medals. She chatted with Glamour after her historic win.

Glamour: These are your second Olympics. What was the most important thing you learned in Sochi that you wanted to remember in PyeongChang?

Jamie Anderson: Just to enjoy each moment. The Olympics are so special and only come every few years.

Glamour: You've won another gold medal! What's the first thing you did afterward?

JA: This time, I went and gave my family a lot of love and gratitude. They came all the way to Korea to watch me compete and I just want to be with them and show them my love!

JA: I hope I taught the youngsters to just enjoy what they’re doing. We’re so lucky and really are living the dream—I feel like the Olympics are just a bonus—so I hope that I’ve taught them to stay in the present moment and really take in and appreciate everything that’s happening around them.

JA: I am all about the superfood combos! I brought goji berries, nuts, longon fruit, hemp seed, and a homemade drink with omegas that I put in a jar. All good fats for your brain! While I’m here I’m excited to spend some time in the city and eat some Korean BBQ and kimchi. I love kimchi.

Glamour: OK, with all that exercise, I have to know—how many loads of laundry does an Olympic gold medalist do in the Village?

JA: I usually do one load per week. My biggest tip is I use Downy Protect & Refresh. [Anderson is a Downy athlete.] My clothes and gear are really important to me!

Glamour: Was anything different about your training for PyeongChang versus your training for Sochi?

JA: When training for these Olympics I really wanted to get my front 1080s down. When I was in Whistler riding during the holidays, I landed the best front 1080 I’ve ever done and I was so happy. It felt really empowering!

JA: I have always been in a male-dominated sport, and there wasn’t a lot of respect for women when I started. But now girls are stepping up and showing the guys what’s up! I feel proud to have played a role in that progression of our sport and the world as a whole.

Glamour: You've been snowboarding at an elite level for so much of your life. Looking back, what was it like to dedicate yourself to your sport at such a young age?

JA: I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I loved my sport. I didn’t really think I could make money off of it, but then I got a few sponsors in high school and after graduating, I decided to put all my effort into it. I wanted to be an X-Games champ, and ended up winning a lot of world titles. Now competing on the Olympic stage is just the cherry on top.